Casket corner construction



April 29, 1952 B. F. PAUL CASKET CORNER CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 9, 1948 5 r 1 N %M m r V I n m .W% m 3 April 29, 1952 L 2,594,580

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. multiple tongue and Patented Apr. 29, 1952 CASKET CORNER CONSTRUCTION Benjamin F. Paul, Elwood, Ind.; Mildred H. Paul administratrix of said Benjamin H. Paul, de-

ceased Application February 9, 1948, Serial No. 7,267

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a sheet material casket structure.

Heretofore in the casket art corner members have provided connections between adjacent side and end walls, but in each instance the adjacent edges have been flush either interiorly or exteriorly, or both. Representative of such structures are the prior Patents No. 167,691 dated September 14, 1875, and No. 2,141,734 dated December 27, 1938, to mention one of the first and one of the last. In the latter, each wall, at the end is coplanar exteriorly, while in the former, the wall at each end is coplanar interiorly.

The casket industry, however, has long demanded what might be termed oifset or broken contour sectioned walls. Same has necessitated unsightly, rough and irregular connections between adjacent wall side edges.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide ornamental corner members for adjacent broken sectioned contoured walls and elfect connections therebetween without exposed offsets, etc., at the joints, or irregular joints each while retaining every advantage of sheet wall casket formation, including that of being transportable in the knock-down, condition.

One chief feature of the present invention resides in the corner-wall connection being of groove type and of opposed character.

Another chief object of the invention resides in forming the connection so that the unskilled workman need only slip the several parts together and then suitably secure such parts together.

Another chief feature of the invention resides in forming such connections so that unsightly anchorages are not required.

Other objects and features of the invention will be set forth more fully hereinafter.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a casket lid corner embodying the invention and showing a wall and corner member thereof in assembled relation and one end of the corner member unasso'ciated with its wall.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a casket box corner member of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is an exterior perspective view of the latter and one box wall in assembled relation, the other box wall being omitted for clearness.

Fig. 4 is an interior perspective view of a casket box corner member and a box wall in assembled relation, the other box wall being omitted for clearness.

Fig. 5 is an exterior perspective view of a casket lid corner member and a lid wall in disassembled relation.

Fig. 6 is an interior perspective view of a casket lid corner member and a lid wall in assembled relation.

Since caskets may partake of various shapes, reference being had to their exteriors invertical section, the specific broken contours or sections of the walls herein illustrated are given by way of example only, it being understood the cornermembers, to the extent required, in each instance conform to the selected or desired casket wall section conformation.

Caskets usually comprise a box and a lid. The latter may be unitary or partable as well understood in the casket art. When the casket is to be of partable lid type the structure shown dotted in Figs. 1 and 5 and in elevation in Fig. 6 is utilized and as hereinafter set forth in detail.

Caskets today are so constructed that so-called tacking strips are required for anchorage in the box and the lid of the casket interior trim or lining. The present invention, accordingly, does not interfere with the anchorage of such strips. Therefore, the present invention fulfills all the requirements of present casket requirements and has the additional advantages initially set forth herein.

Reference will first be had to Figs. 1, 5 and 6 wherein the lid portion of a casket embodying the invention is illustrated and then to Figs. 2 to 4 inclusive wherein the box portion of such a casket is illustrated.

In said first mentioned figures, ll] indicates a vertical portion of the lid having the inwardly directed base flange H with internal upwardly directed flange 12, same forming a groove or channel 13 substantially coextensive with the lid wall.

Extending inwardly and upwardly from portion In is portion I4 provided with vertical portion [5, inwardly directed flange I6 and downturned inner flange [1, the latter three portions forming groove or channel [8 substantially coextensive with the lid wall. Flange I6 is mitered at 16a.

It is to be understood the adjacent side and end walls may be similarly formed and said walls are disposed in transverse relation with a corner structure therebetween and connected to each wall.

Such corner structure may have any desired ornamental exterior. It includes a thicker vertical wall 19, an upwardly and inwardly inclined thicker wall 20 and an inwardly as well as upwardly directed thick flange 2], see Fig. 5, having its upper face relieved at the ends as at 22 providing central portion 23. The corner structure opposite ends are grooved as at 24, and 25 to slip fittingly receive the adjacent ends of lid wall portions l0, l4 and I5. Portion l5 seats in the notch or relieved portion 22. Portion I I seats in the notch or relieved portion 21, see Fig. l.

Projecting from each end of the corner structure and at the top and from portion 2| and. at right angles to each other, are the elongated tongues 28. These may be of channel section, as illustrated in Fig. 6, if desired. When so fashioned, same serves as a recess for a tacking strip. The tongue 23 is nestable in the groove 18 aforesaid, and serves as an appreciable cantilever support.

Projecting from the bottom or base portion of the corner structure, and disposed transversely of each other and parallel to, but ofiset from tongues 28 are the lower tongues 29. These also, as shown in Fig. 6, may, if desired, be of channel section type to facilitate tacking strip accommodation.

The base 30 at 3| is internally relieved or notched and the top 2! is internally relieved or notched at 32, see Fig. 6. Thus the portions [5, l1, II and. I2 lie flush with the corner structure top and bottom surfaces and the elongated tongues 28 and 29 are nested in the grooves 18 and [3 respectively.

The central upper portion of the lid may partake of any suitable or desired structure well known in the casket art and same is intentionally omitted herefrom for clearness. The lid is suitably hinged to the box part of the casket. This being conventional, such hinging also is omitted herefrom for clearness.

In many caskets a part of the lid can be dropped, as it were. A drop lid casket is well known as one wherein a part or all of the lid folds outwardly and downwardly to expose the casket interior. This is effected by effecting a parting at the corners. In the present invention, see Figs. 1 and 6, there is illustrated a median partition 33 of appreciable width. This serves as a corner structure reinforcement. When parting for drop lid effect is desired, the reenforcement may be kerfed in two or divided as indicated by dotted lines 34 on part 33, see Fig. 6. Any suitable snap lock can be provided therebetween. The resulting adjacent partitions also serve as end closures for the respective lid sections. If desired, the corner structure may initially comprise half units, not illustrated. When dropping is not desired, these half units are suitably secured together by means not shown. Either method of fabrication may be utilized when the total corner structure is partition reinforced.

Reference will now be had to Figs. 2 to 4 inclusive wherein the box part of the casket is illustrated. Each of the box walls, see Figs. 3

and 4, includes a vertical portion 35 and outwardly and downwardly directed ledge portion 36, a depending portion 31 and an inwardly directed base portion 38. Same terminates in two reversed channel sectioned portions 39 and 49, see Fig. 4. This forms an inner groove 4| and an outer groove 42, the former serving as an inner supporting flange for a casket bottom member, not shown.

The box wall at its upper portion includes an outwardly and upwardly directed canopy portion 43. Extending upwardly therefrom is vertical portion 44 terminating in the inwardly directed flange portion 45 with downturned skirt or flange 46, the latter three portions forming groove 41. Grooves 41, 42 and M are coextensive with the wall.

The corner structure of the casket box includes a vertically disposed thicker wall portion 48, an outwardly and slightly downwardly directed thicker ledge portion 49, a thicker depending portion 5!! and a base portion 5|, see Figs. 2 and 4. Extending upwardly and outwardly from vertical wall 48 is the thicker canopy portion 52 with vertical upward extension 53 and inwardly directed top 54.

Opposite edges thereof are grooved as at 55 and 59 inclusive to slip fittingly receive the edges of wall portions 35, 36, 31, 43 and 44 respectively. The top 54 is notched or relieved as at 60 while the bottom 5| is similarly notched or relieved as at 6 I, if desired.

Projections 62, as shown, in Fig. 4, may be channel sectioned to facilitate tacking strip anchorage. These projections are disposed transversely of each other, and each is nestable within upper grooves 41 of adjacent box walls to cantileverly support same.

Projections 63, as shown in Fig. 4, may be channel sectioned to facilitate tacking strip anchorage. These projections are similarly disposed as well as in parallel relation to projections 62. Projections 63 are nestable in lower grooves 12 of the box walls.

Thus the box and lid may each be assembled by presenting the wall edge to the up and down groove in the respective corner structure and with the corner tongues seatedin the upper and lower wall grooves. The walls and corners are interlocked against transverse separation by the opposed tongue and groove connections therebetween.

Where the wall laps the corner structure, pref erably, and/or where it laps the corner tongue,

suitable anchorage may be effected. By virtue of the several notches or relieved portions, the top and bottom edges of the corners and Walls of the lidand box and the adjacent edges of the lid and box are coplanar and flush.

When light sheet metal is employed, same if unsupported might warp or weave. The present corner structure, however, prevents such action in the walls. The casket bottom not shown, as set forth may be of drop in type, its central raised major portion resting upon the upper edges of the inner flanges on the bottom of the walls and its ofiset edges seating in the grooves 4| thereof. Such bottom-may be suitablysecured to the walls as by tacking and the like.

It will be apparent the casket structure herein disclosed readily lends itself, by virtue of the corner assemblies, to the use of materials which it is impracticable to solder or weld, such materials comprising press boards of various types, plastics, aluminum, stainless steel, etc.

While herein the corners are shown having a quarter circle sectional outline, obviously same may have any contour desired or required.

Whenever desired, or required, the joints between the respective tongue and groove forming portions may be suitably sealed as by a bonding mastic type of cement or adhesive.

While the invention has been described and illustrated in great detail in the description and drawings, same is to be considered illustrative of the invention.

The modifications herein disclosed, as Well as others which will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art, all are considered to be within the scope of this invention, reference being had to claims for a definition thereof The invention claimed is:

1. A casket comprising side walls and corner structures, the side walls having top and bottom edges provided with inwardly and oppositely facing channels, the corner structure having horizontally disposed top and bottom flanges interdigitating with the top and bottom channels of the side walls.

2. A casket comprising side walls, the side walls having a broken contour in vertical section and having inwardly facing top and bottom channel members, and a corner member of broken contour in vertical section to correspond with the contour of the side walls and having top and bottom channel members interdigitating with the top and bottom channel members of the side walls.

3. A casket comprising side walls, the side walls being provided with inwardly facing top and bottom channel members, and a corner member having grooved edge faces adapted to receive the edges of the side walls and having top and bottom horizontally disposed fingers interdigitating with the top and bottom channel members of the side walls.

4. A casket comprising side Walls, each side wall having a broken contour in vertical section and having inwardly facing top and bottom channel members, and corner members, each corner memher having a broken wall contour in vertical section corresponding to the contour of the side walls and having top and bottom channel fingers adapted to interdigitate with the channel members of the side walls, the edges of the corner members being grooved to receive the meeting edges of the side walls and "a longitudinally disposed rigid connecting corner tongue in the corner members extending between the top and bottom horizontaily disposed interdigitating fingers of the corner members.

BENJAMIN F. PAUL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 57,829 Fogg Sept. 4, 1866 167,691 Richey et a1 Sept. 14, 1875 384,701 Mahon et a1 June 19, 1888 654,435 Brown July 24, 1900 766,000 Skahen July 26, 1904 872,740 McKenzie Dec. 3, 1907 

